Prevention

One
of the most effective things you can do to reduce
wear on your joints, or pain
in your hips or knees is maintain a healthy weight
for your body size. If your doctor has told you that
you are overweight, you may want to ask him/her to
refer you to a registered dietician who can help
you to lose weight safely while maintaining nutritional
balance.

Joint pain can be caused by
a number of factors. Below is a list of some examples:

Osteoarthritis is a condition
in which the smooth, gliding surfaces (cartilage)
of your joint have
become damaged. This usually results in pain,
stiffness and reduced flexibility. Osteoarthritis
usually
develops
in older patients due to a lifetime of wear and
tear on joints.

Post Traumatic Arthritis develops as a result
of an injury, such as a fracture in a joint
that does
not heal properly.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is
an autoimmune condition that results in joint
pain and inflammation.

Osteonecrosis is
a condition that can occur either spontaneously
or as the
result of an injury.
Typical
symptoms include pain, limited range
of motion, and, when the leg is affected,
a limp. The most
common
type of osteonecrosis results from
a separated
fracture that may damage the blood
supply to the bones of
the joint. Non-traumatic osteonecrosis
may be caused by a disease or condition
that results
in blockage
of the blood vessels supplying the
bone. The areas most commonly affected are
the hips, knees,
and
shoulder joints.

For arthritic joints, your doctor
may prescribe physical therapy, pain medications,
anti-inflammatory
medications,
or injections into the joint. If these treatments
reduce or completely alleviate your pain, surgery
may not be necessary. However, if pain persists
or recurs, your doctor may recommend surgery.
When this
happens, the Joint Replacement Center at Mid
Coast Hospital will be there to care for you.